Note-Taking Skills/Transcript
Transcript Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim and Moby A robot, Moby, is seated at his desk in a classroom. Several other robots are seated in desks around him, beeping and twittering. The school bell rings. A boy, Tim, enters, dressed as a professor. He goes to the front of the room and addresses the class. TIM: Good morning, class. First things first. There's going to be a test tomorrow on what you learn today. So, you know, fair warning. Several of the robots beep. They take out their notebooks and laptops. Moby takes out a handheld recorder and switches it on. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Without further ado, today's topic. Tim reads from an e-mail being projected onto a whiteboard. TIM: Dear Professor Tim, I'm a good listener and I pay attention in class. Why do I need to take notes? From, Geoffrey. TIM: Excellent question, Geoffrey. I'll put it as simply as possible. Listening is not the same as learning. An animation shows a boy at a classroom desk. Text goes into one of his ears, through his head, and out his other ear. Text reads: Listening is not the same as learning. TIM: You can't truly learn something if you only hear it once. Writing stuff down helps you focus as you listen, and gives you something to review later. An animation shows a boy reviewing his notes. As he does, he recalls his teacher instructing the class. TIM: Now, you may ask, "Why not just record everything?" MOBY: Beep. Moby nods his head as he holds up his recorder. He has a lazy expression on his face. Tim reaches beneath his speaker's podium and retrieves a device labeled Gadget Magnet. He turns the device on, and it pulls Moby's recorder out of his hand. TIM: Because recording gives you an excuse to zone out. MOBY: Beep. Moby sits up and becomes alert. TIM: If you know you can just listen again later, you may not pay attention the first time around. MOBY: Beep. Moby has taken out a notebook. He is writing in it with both hands. TIM: Just a second. You don't want to write down every word you hear. For one thing, most people can't write fast enough to keep up with a speaker. An animation shows a girl writing very fast in a notebook. Smoke rises from where the pen meets the paper. TIM: See how many words you can get down in the time it takes me to say this sentence: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." Moby tries to write the sentence as Tim says it. He is unsuccessful. TIM: If you're focused on transcribing, or copying word for word, you can't think about what you're writing. An animation shows a boy trying to transcribe as text goes into one ear and out the other. Text reads: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. TIM: Note-taking should help you break down what you hear. The boy imagines a fox jumping over a lazy dog. TIM: Since you only have time to write down the highlights, you need to paraphrase, or summarize the main points. Ask yourself, what details are the most relevant and useful? What are the main ideas, key points, and vital connections? In short, what's the gist of the material? Tim projects graphics that emphasize his instruction onto his whiteboard. MOBY: Beep. Moby holds up his pointing finger. TIM: Chances are, your teachers will let you know what's important. So listen to what they say. An animation shows a teacher giving instruction using a whiteboard. TIM: They might introduce noteworthy information with phrases like, "A major cause of the Great Depression was…" Or, "Tthree consequences of the Civil War were…" These clues basically scream, "This is important." So be sure to listen for them. The phrases appear with "A major cause" and "Three consequences" highlighted. TIM: And keep your eyes peeled for anything the teacher writes on the board. If I write it down, it's a good bet you should, too. Tim writes text on his whiteboard. Text reads: 1492. Additional text reads: Christopher Columbus, Columbian Exchange, and Columbus: Explorer or Conqueror? TIM: That includes dates, names, definitions, theories, and arguments for and against important issues. Moby and the other robots take notes. MOBY: Beep. Moby holds up his notebook. The page is completely covered with gibberish. Moby looks unhappy. TIM: Yowzers. Can you please read back what you wrote? Moby stares at his notebook. MOBY: Beep. Moby looks confused. He cannot read what he has written. TIM: That's what I was afraid of. Sloppy handwriting is a recipe for confusion when you review your notes. So write clearly. An animation shows a student unable to read his handwriting in his notebook. He panics as he tries. TIM: If you're using a notebook, start a new page for every class, and put the date at the top. Be sure to leave some blank space, in case you need to go back and add new information. And if you make a mistake, don't waste time blacking it out or erasing it. Just draw a single line through it. It's faster, and who knows, you might need that info after all. Moby opens a notebook and demonstrates the techniques Tim describes. TIM: Using abbreviations and other forms of shorthand will save you time, too. Tim projects a chart of common abbreviations on his whiteboard. Text includes: versus = vs., between = btwn, and without = w/o. TIM: Just imagine that you're texting. As long as you can decode your notes later, you should shorten wherever you can. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, the way you arrange your notes is up to you. Some people use an outline to organize ideas by numbers, letters, and bullet points. An animation displays the basic pattern of an outline. TIM: Others prefer graphic organizers, like word webs and fishbones. Images show notebooks with the graphic organizers Tim describes. TIM: Then there's the Cornell System, which divides the page into three sections. You take your notes in the main section during class. An animation illustrates the Cornell System. Class notes appear on the right part of the notebook page, under the header, Atomic Model. TIM: Afterwards, you fill in this section with key terms, dates, and other study prompts. Short notes appear on the left part of the page, under the header, Key Ideas. TIM: Finally, write a short summary in your own words, here. A summary appears on the lower part of the notebook page, under the class notes and study prompts. TIM: Now you've solidified the information in your head, and created a great study tool along the way. MOBY: Beep. TIM: The point is, find a format you're comfortable with, and stick to it. Your notes should reflect the way you think. Some people use colors to represent different concepts. Various words and phrases on the notebook page become highlighted in different colors. TIM: And drawings can help you visualize complex structures. Tim draws a sketch of an atom on the notebook page. TIM: All that matters is that your notes help you learn effectively. MOBY: Beep. Moby holds up a page of his notebook. It is covered with ones and zeros. TIM: Well, to each his own, I guess. Category:BrainPOP Transcripts